Compartmented bag

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns a packaging bag comprising complementary closure profiles ( 20 ) actuated by a slider ( 30 ) characterized by the fact that it comprises removable means ( 70 ) initially limiting the travel of the slider ( 30 ) to part of the length of the closure profiles ( 20 ).

The present invention pertains to the area of bags having complementary closure profiles actuated by a slider.

Numerous bags of this type have already been proposed.

It is a purpose of the present invention to put forward new means with which to improve upon existing bags.

This purpose is achieved under the present invention with a bag comprising complementary closure profiles actuated by a slider characterized by the fact that it comprises removable means initially limiting the movement of the slider.

According to one advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the bag is compartmented in transverse direction to the complementary closure profiles and the removable means initially limit movement of the slider to prohibit access to at least one compartment.

Other characteristics, objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent on reading the following detailed description with reference to the appended drawings given as non-limitative examples, in which:

FIG. 1 is a first planar view of a bag of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a second partial opposite view of FIG. 1, of the same bag.

A bag 10 can be seen in the appended figures having a mouth part 12, a bottom part 14 globally parallel to and opposite the mouth part 12, and two side edges 16, 18 parallel to one another, generally perpendicular to the mouth part 12 and bottom part 14 and joining these together.

Optionally, as can be assumed when examining FIG. 1, the bottom part 14 may comprise a gusset 15. Similarly, when required, the side edges 16 and 18 and even the mouth part 12 may be provided with said gusset.

The presence of a gusset allows volume to be added to the bag.

Said bag may be made using any technique known to persons skilled in the art, for example from a sheet that is folded over and welded or bonded at the meeting points of the folded sheet, or from two sheets initially separate and joined by any appropriate means such as bonding or welding at their periphery. The sheets used for this purpose may be the subject of numerous variants of embodiment. Preferably they are in a thermoplastic material, at least partly transparent or translucent, even any composite material.

Bag 10 at its mouth part 12 is provided with complementary closure profiles 20. These means may be conventional. They may be formed from the sheet material of the bag or they may be added or fixed onto the sheets by any appropriate means such as bonding or welding.

The rectilinear closure means 20 arranged at the mouth part 12 may for example comprise complementary male/female profiles respectively integral with one of the main walls of the bag, or may have complementary hooking means or any equivalent means.

As indicated previously under the present invention, the closure means 20 are actuated by a slider 30 facilitating successive opening/closing of the bag 10.

Here again, the slider 30 may be the subject of various embodiments known to persons skilled in the art.

Preferably, the slider 30 comprises a shoe carrying two side flanges and a central inner sill which, with the two flanges, delimits two channels that are not parallel to one another. The two flanges of the slider are arranged on the outside of the complementary closure profiles while the inner central sill is arranged at least partly between them. Therefore, when the slider 30 is moved in one direction, it tends to separate the complementary closure profiles and consequently to open the bag, whilst when it is moved in the opposite direction it tends to bring together the complementary closure profiles and hence to close the bag.

As also previously indicated under the present invention, the bag 10 is preferably divided into two compartments 40, 50. The division of the bag 10 may be made by any appropriate means, Preferably, as can be seen in the appended figures, bag 10 is delimited into two compartments 40, 50 by means of a rectilinear seam 60 perpendicular to the mouth part 12 and bottom part 14, that is formed for example by bonding or welding between the inner surfaces of the two main walls of the bag 10.

In the appended figures, bag 10 is shown to be delimited into two compartments, 40, 50.

Evidently, as a variant, the bag of the present invention may optionally be divided into a greater number of compartments, each of these compartments opening into the closure means 20.

Also, under the present invention, provision is made for removable means 70 which are adapted so that the travel of the slider 30 is initially limited to movement opposite a single compartment.

By “removable” in the present invention is meant that if users so desire, they may remove these means 70 to allow the slider 30 to complete its travel over the entire length of the closure means 20 to achieve full access to the inner volume of the bag 10.

The removable means 70 may themselves be the subject of numerous embodiments. They may be formed by bonding or welding part of the closure profiles 20 or their supporting edges at the initially desired end-of-travel point of slider 30.

According to a preferred variant of embodiment, these removable means 70 are formed of a piece that is added to and provisionally fixed to the bag 10. These means 70 can therefore be formed from means intended for easy holding, handling or hanging of bag 10.

According to the particular embodiment shown in the appended figures, these removable means 70 are in fact formed from a hook 72 integral with a plate 74 which carries a foldable tab 76. When the plate 74 is arranged on one side of the bag, the tab 76 is folded back on the opposite side, and the plate 74 and tab 76 in a U-configuration are connected by provisional connecting means consisting for example of an orifice 77 on either the tab 76 or plate 74 and of a flared finger formed on the other, whether the plate 74 or tab 76. During this operation, the above-mentioned finger 75 passes through part of the bag 10 at its mouth part at the point corresponding to the initially desired end-of-travel point of the slider 30.

It will be noted that these means 70 are therefore articulated on the bag 10 about the axis of the finger 75 to allow free orienting of the hook 72. Preferably the hook 70 is positioned substantially at mid-distance of the closure means 20 for the equilibrium of the bag in hanging position. The compartments 40, 50 may be of different width. In this context, the slider 30 may optionally, as can be seen FIG. 1, partly come to encroach upon the second compartment 50 whose access is to be initially limited. However, since the zone of this compartment 50 covered by the slider 30 is limited, the access to the content of this compartment 50 remains impossible.

According to the particular embodiment given in the appended figures, the width of compartment 40 whose access is initially allowed through movement of the slider 30 is substantially equal to one half of the width of compartment 50 whose access is initially prohibited by part 70 preventing travel of the slider 30 over this compartment.

Evidently, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment just described but extends to any variant conforming to the spirit thereof.

Persons skilled in the art will understand that the means 70, which in the embodiment illustrated in the appended figures are formed from a hanging hook, must be fixed to the bag after it has been fabricated to limit the travel of the slider 30 along closure 20. This allows partial access to the content of compartment 40 of the bag and thereby enables the testing of a sample contained in this compartment 40 without having access to the remainder of the bag's content.

As a variant, the plate 74 and tab 76 provided with complementary clip-fit means 75, 77 may be made from two parts that are initially separate. 

1. Packaging bag comprising complementary closure profiles (20) actuated by a slider (30) characterized by the fact that the bag is compartmented (60) in transverse direction to the complementary closure profiles (20) and in that it comprises removable means (70) initially limiting the travel of the slider (30) over a single compartment (40).
 2. Bag as in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the bag (10) is divided into two compartments (40, 50).
 3. Bag as in claim 1, characterized by the fact that it is divided into a number of compartments (40, 50) that is greater than two.
 4. Bag as in any of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that it is divided into several compartments (40, 50) by a bonding or welding zone (60) transverse to its mouth part (12).
 5. Bag as in any of claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that it comprises an added piece (70) initially limiting the travel of the slider (30).
 6. Bag as in claim 5, characterized by the fact that the piece (70) limiting the initial travel of the slider (30) carries a hook structure (72).
 7. Bag as in either of claims 5 or 6, characterized by the fact that the added piece (70) limiting the initial travel of the slider (30) is immobilised on the bag (10) by clip-fitting.
 8. Bag as in any of claims 5 to 7, characterized by the fact that the piece (70) added to initially limit the travel of the slider (30) comprises a plate (74) integral with a foldable tab (76) provided with complementary clip-fitting means (75, 77). 